Cool Stuff Pt.14
A roundup of the cool things that inspired me this past week
Welcome back to Cool Stuff!
If you are new here (welcome!) Cool Stuff is The Inside Pocket series where I present some inspiring and beautiful finds from the fashion world and beyond, hoping to bring you a bit of joy, of course. :)
Here’s a list of things I loved this past week, as usual, in no particular order:
Check out the previous volumes!
If you are looking for inspiration you might also want to take a look to the Visual Voyage series!
Books & More Books
Lately I’ve been craving a slower moment in my life: a pause (even a sigh would do, honestly), something to counterbalance the chaos of work, the deadlines, the exciting new projects that light me up but also leave me so damn tired. My ideal self-care day is embarrassingly simple: a mask, a ZIIP session, a long bath, a pizza, and a book. A moment where nothing is required of me except showing up for myself.
Books help me slow down in a way almost nothing else does, even just having them in the room calms me. There’s something comforting, ritualistic, about surrounding myself with printed stories and images, especially when the world outside feels overwhelming. Self-care, for me, often means going back to the books I love… or finally buying the ones I’ve been eyeing for months.
Here are four titles on my current wishlist that I think deserve a spot in this week’s cool stuff series. These are the intriguing reads I can’t wait to get my hands on, all praised in my most trustworthy corners of the internet. (And please tell me if you’ve already read any of them, I love reading your opinions.)
• When the Going Was Good by Graydon Carter — Imagine being one of the most influential editors at Vanity Fair for 25 years, right in the golden era of print magazines — the last real one, as Graydon Carter says, stretching from the 1980s through the late 2000s. His writing in this book is said to be sharp, witty, and above all, unfiltered. As an editor myself, but working in such a different landscape, I feel like this could be both culturally enriching and will probably leave my jaw on the floor.
• Empire of the Elite by Michael M. Grynbaum — Media, power, influence, and a sprinkle of gossip: all the things I’m nosy about. This book will be a journey inside Condé Nast publishing empire with all the juicy details… Everyone says it reads like a thriller, so I am so, so, down.
• Per Amore by Giorgio Armani — You know how much I love Giorgio, the national treasure of my beloved country. This book was in my wishlist way before the designer’s passing: a visual and emotional deep dive into a life spent crafting beauty. I want to add this to my stack, both as inspiration and as a coffee-table jewel.
• Modern Manners: Instructions for Living Fabulously Well by The Gentlewoman — I love anything that blends culture, style, and wit. And I love The Gentlewoman, which is hands down my favourite magazine out there. This feels like a manual for elegant living in an age that has forgotten well… a bit of manners.
A Very Good Movie
I recently watched Days of Heaven for the first time. This movie, starring a very young Richard Gere, stirred all my love for period pieces, slow cinema, and beautiful cinematography. It unfolds across wide golden-hour fields and under infinite skies; every frame feels like a painting in the colour palette I imagine my perfect life in.
The plot revolves around a young couple on the run, that will eventually join a wealthy farmer’s harvest in early 20th-century Texas. This will trigger a love triangle that will change their lives forever.
The music is by Ennio Morricone and, as usual, he has his spell on me, evoking longing, memory, and a tad of fragility. It’s all narrated by the little girl in the film, the late actress Linda Manz, whose natural New York accent makes everything feel a little more magical.
The film, shot in 1976, is just so beautiful. I love the slow approach that kept me immersed in those faraway times and those gorgeous Texas fields. If you love beauty and you like a period piece that transports you (for real and not only through plot but through light, sound, and texture) this film will be a treat for your eyes.
A Little Escape
Imagine a sunny morning in the countryside: the sun is gently caressing your face, but it’s still cold enough to wear your favourite big jacket. You can smell hay and dew, and you have no plans for the day other than to simply exist in nature. From your window, you can even spot horses grazing in the distance. And on top of all this, you’re having Italian food — because yes, you are in Italy!
This isn’t a sweaty dream I had last night but a very real place.
I am talking about the rural guest estate and horse farm in the town of Tuscania, in the Lazio region (Rome’s region) in Italy. This silent paradise is called Agriturismo Re Tarquinio.
Guests can enjoy an infinity pool, go horse riding along ancient Etruscan paths, or attend curated events such as weddings and garden dinners. I will do my best to plan my next holiday here, as it truly fits my idea of a serene, elegant, and authentic haven — a place where time slows down and nature, art, and comfort meet among the Italian hills. A DREAM.
Interiors
Recently I stumbled upon La Lune Galerie’s studio online and, oh my, their home pieces feel like treasures waiting for the right corner of my flat. I am so very done with neutral interiors with no character, and when it comes to buying something that isn’t vintage, these are exactly the things I look for when I think about curating my own space.
In fact, their collection feels like it’s designed for someone who loves vintage-inspired charm, quality workmanship, and objects that have their own personality. Ultra cool.
Victorian Beauty Secrets
This past weekend I found myself deep in a rabbit hole, browsing through vintage treasures at my usual flea-market haunt, when I started chatting with one of my favourite sellers, Charlotte.
She opened a jewellery box, one of those mysterious wooden little chests that none is ever sure what was it made for — and started telling stories about the Victorian era, about the women who once owned such pieces. Here in London, it is incredibly easy to stumble across such finds. Somehow the conversation spun into beauty ideals of the past. Charlotte told me that apparently having a pale, translucent skin was the ultimate mark of refinement and high social status in the Victorian era (and many others eras to be fair) it meant you didn’t labour under the sun. In order to achieve it, some women would use powders, creams, even ingest toxic substances like arsenic to look as pale as a ghosts.
Eyes were also considered magical in the Victorian era. Some women used drops of belladonna (deadly nightshade) to dilate their pupils and give their eyes a bright, haunting look. Of course, it was dangerous, sometimes causing total blindness. Charlotte also told me that a cheaper alternative was lemon or orange juice…imagine squeezing that in your eyes and for what?? Looking scary? I am not sure.
Anyway, it’s insane to think about the extremes women went to for beauty. Holding that jewellery box with Charlotte felt like touching a memory of those women, their hopes and vulnerabilities, their pursuit of softness in a hard world.
A Fur Heaven
Talking about vintage, I cannot not mention the Fur Heaven I recently visited on my walk in Portobello Road — the vintage Fur Garden shop where all the cool girls go to pick up second-hand furs.
Shelves and racks overflow with YSL, Biba, and countless other treasures, but my eyes fell on one piece that was, let’s just say, a jaw-dropping £11K. (For all of you on my notes asking why I didn’t buy it — that was the reason!)
However, I did buy something, such as this very sweet fur hat from the 1950s in incredible conditions.
Fur accents are so hot; I’ve always adored them, whether it’s a Nereja upcycled piece or the latest Gucci La Famiglia collection by Demna, giving us that chic sciura energy.
I’ll be honest: I don’t think you can be not conflicted about fur. We definitely don’t need to harm animals to make new luxury pieces, but I also don’t see anything wrong in giving a fur that’s been around for decades a new life — it’s sustainable and undeniably beautiful. What are your thoughts?
Thank you so much for sticking with me. I’ll see you very soon with another volume of Cool Stuff.
I love you all,
Giulia xx
Some of the products mentioned in this article were kindly gifted, others paid by me. Rest assured I only feature what I truly believe in: things I’ve tried, loved, and would buy again. Thank you for your trust, it means the world.
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I'm in favour of reusing or restyling or just re-loving vintage fur! There's so much out there! I am still kicking myself for not buying a DIOR white fox fur coat at my local consignment many years ago - it was $300!!
Your newsletter is like reading a very expensive magazine, Giulia! I love it, thank you!
i love putting roundups like this together because i also love reading them! i'm obsessed with everything you recommended. ordering modern manners as we speak! sounds very up my alley. ty!